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October 08, 2007

Sher Muhammad Marri also known as Babu Shero, Shero Marri, General Sherof and Baloch Tiger. Here sitting in a Giddan, traditional Baloch tent, with his Kalashnikovs and bullets.

Babu Shero died on 11 May 1993 in a Mumbai (Bombay) hospital, in India, due to illness.He was the first Baloch who gave the Baloch armed struggle a new shape by following the tactics of modern guerrilla warfare, against the occupiers of Balochistan. In early 1960s his Parari (fighters) attacked the occupiers in Marri and in Jahlawan area under Mir Ali Muhammad Mengal, the second in command ofGeneral Sherof.

Babu Shero was a great military commander. During last days of his life, He broke up with his former comrades.“” …….I have seen a little Baloch girl who was sold in Punjab by Pakistani Punjabi soldiers for just 5 rupees…..we are slaves….”” Scripts from General Shero’s interview by Channel 4, London, 1980’s.

Note: The Government of Pakistan recently arrested Sher Mohammad Marri, alleged to be the commander of a “20,000 men guerrilla force” in Baluchistan. The Govermnent-controlled press has accused Sher Moharnanad and other Baluchi leaders of plotting to bring about the secession of Baluchistan. In the interview below Sher Mohainmad claims to be a Marxist-Leninist and to be opposed to the idea of secession. The Pakistan Forum has no independent means of verifying either the accusations of the Government or the professed political beliefs of Sher Mohainmad. We are grateful to Jid-oJahad (London) for furnishing us with the transcript of the interview, especially the unpublished second half. The interview was conducted in TJrdu by Ahmed Shuja in October 1972 in London--Eds.

Q. What lesson do we have to learn from the secession of Bengal from Pakistan?

A. Hatred has been spreading in different parts of Pakistan for a long time. The basic cause of this is the feeling in the smaller provinces, as it was in East Bengal, that the capitalists, bureaucrats and ruling cliques of Punjab have not treated them with justice. This hatred will not go until there is an equitable distribution of wealth in the country. In the short run it is possible to shut the mouths of the greedy and self-interested provincialists by granting full autonomy to different provinces on the basis of nationalities and by giving equal representation to all provinces in the central government. The people’s struggle should not be directed against the Punjabi capitalists only. It is our first objective to finish off all enemies of the people no matter whether they are Punjabi, Sindhi or Baluchi. Pakistan is a country of several nationalities. Communism is the only solu— tion for the structure of a state which has a plurality of nationalities. The secession of Bangladesh has proved that a country cannot be based on religion, and if so founded cannot last very long. We can set right the foundations of Pakistan. Bourgeois democracy cannot bring about communism: it can only mislead the masses but only for a short time. The present so—called democratic system is only a conspir— acy to maintain the privileges of the capital- ists and their rights to plunder. It can only be uprooted by an organized and armed revolution with the aim of creating a socialist Pakistan.

Q. Many parties in Pakistan claim to be social- ist parties. What do you think of them?

A. There is no authentic Marxist party in Pakistan. The so-called “leftist” party, the Na- tional Awami Party (NAP), is trying to establish a common front with the reactionary Ulerna hierarchy of Pakistan. The People’s Party also claims to be a socialist party, while it has gathered together under its banner the most corrupt elements in the country whose aim is to use their power to plunder the people continu— ally.

Q. Do the Baluchis want to secede from Pakistan?

A. Not at all. In fact, the selfish elements in the country are using these accusations against the Baluchi people in order to mislead the people of other provinces, particularly my Punjabi brothers. These leaders of ours did not agree to the demands of self-determination of the Bengali people because they were afraid to see the end of their exploitation of that province. The demands of the Baluchis, Sindhis, Pathans and immigrants are being denied for the same reasons. This provincial prejudice and hatred is very profitable for these selfish and loathsome elements, because impressed by this line people can temporarily forget the healthy politics of class and economics. Class war will only begin when national chauvinism and exploitation are brought to an end. Our ruling clique is engaged in all sorts of mis- chief in order to escape from this eventuality.

Q. The bourgeois Pakistani leaders and the reactionary press have always portrayed the Shah of Iran as Pakistan’s best friend. How- ever, only the Baluchis have had direct experience of Irani rulers. In the light of this experience, what is your view of these claims of friendship?

A. (After repeating a Punjabi saying). People in other parts of the country can be misled with propaganda in this respect , but not the Baluchis, because we live near Irans border, and we have been subjected to the tyranny of the Irani rulers for centuries. We want to ask our so-called friend: who made the first armed attack on Pakistan right after the country was formed? Who seized 12,000 square miles of Pakistan’s territory? Who owns the Taftn area? There is only one answer: our so—called friend Iran! During the ICashmir war when Pakistan was fully preoccupied with that conflict, Iran took advantage of the situation and occupied Fort Safia. This fort still lies in ruins and is not in Pakistanis control.

The map of Iran still shows Baluchistan as part of Iran. During the celebrations of Arya Mehr when an official map of Iran was issued, it showed Pakistani territory as far as Multan as part of Iran. At the opening. ceremony of the Iran House in Quetta, Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan said, “in the soil of Baluchistan I smell the scent of Iran.” After this speech the Baluchi students set the Iran House on fire and burned pictures of the Shah of Iran in the streets, Pakistan needs friends, but should the friends behave as the rulers of Iran have behaved?

Q. The Irani Baluchis are struggling against the Irani govermnent. What are you doing for these people?

A. The Baluchis like other citizens of Iran are the targets of official violence and suppression. Hundreds of Baluchis have found refuge in Pakistan in order to escape the atrocities of Iran’s notorious army. We have provided every help to these people and are still doing so. That is the reason why the capitalist rulers of Pakistan have joined hands with the Shah of Iran to conspire against the people of Baluchistan. The Shah of Iran is the grand agent of American imperialism. America is supplying unlimited arms to Iran in order to crush the freedom—loving elements in that country.

Q. What are the prospects of a socialist revolution in Pakistan?

A. I am sure that the socialist revolution in Pakistan will begin from Baluchistan. A large part of Baluchistan is free from the oppress- ive powers, and in these areas we are running a socialist system in our own way and in accord— ance with our own traditions. The time is not too far away when our Punjabi, Sindhi, Pathan and immigrant brothers will also join our struggle and we will together make Pakistan a free country in the real sense of the word.

Pakistan is inhabited by several national- ities. The country will only begin to prosper when there is interdependence and unity among them. But this unity cannot be realized until all Pakistanis feel that they are equal and no one should rob them of their fundamental human rights. A Communist society will end that exploitation which is the primary cau.se of mutual hatred among the people. Our rulers are trying to split the masses so that they can continue their malpractices and exploitation. The responsibility for the mutual hatred among the immigrants, Punjabis, Sindhis, Baluchis and Pathans falls on our selfish leaders and the decadent system under which Pakistan is being run.

Q. During Yahya’s bloody incursion many people believed the false and propaganda of our rulers. How did Baluchis react to it?

A. We were not surprised by the cowardly attacks on the Bengalis. What happened to the thousands of unarmed Bengalis has been happening to us since 1947. We have many proofs of the army’s atrocities. Napalm bombs were dropped on us. If anybody doubts this, we can produce fragments of these bombs. Drink— ing wells in Baluchistan were poisoned. Women and children were riddled with bullets. The wounded were killed. The peak of these atrocities was reached during Ayub’s regime. We captured many soldiers, but released them in the hope that they would make people in their areas aware of our plight.

The people in other areas of Pakistan did not find out what was happening to us be- cause of the captive press controlled by the capitalists, and the connivance of the dishonest and selfish leaders and due to the apathy of our socialist friends. Had this not been the case, I am sure our brothers in other parts of the country would have come to our aid.

Our movement is not similar to the bourgeois movement of Sheikh Mujib in Bengal. Our movement has a communist character, and the gun is our religion--the gun which is not used to subjugate other people, but to free all people from the cruel system. I have full faith in the people of Pakistan. The time is not too far when the dark clouds of falsehood, deceit and corruption will disperse, and the people of Pakistan will take their destiny into their own hands.

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